[dmalbum path=”/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/April 27 Feature Winners/”/]Cale, Oliver Jr., Fullenkamp, Dunker and Griffiths Claim Opening Night wins at the Lee County Speedway
DONNELLSON, Iowa (Friday, April 27, 2012) – New owners Dave and Von Sapp, with promoter Dwain Hulett, were finally able to get the 2012 season started on Friday night at the Lee County Speedway in Donnellson, IA. Despite mother natures attempts before and during the night to rain on the PEPSI season opening points night, all events were able to be completed with the final checkered flag being waved at 10:05pm.

The Budweiser IMCA Modifieds 20 lap feature was the first one to take to the track, with Tyler Cale and Brandon Savage drawing the front row for the event. Cale took advantage of his front row start to grab the lead on lap 1 over Brandon Banks and Ryan Cook. The first and only caution of the event came out on the completion of lap 2, as Derek Hamm spun his machine in turn 2. On the restart Cale moved back out into the lead, with Cook and Josh Foster, who started 9th, battling for second. Cale would go on to lead all 20 laps to take the win. Foster would come home in 2nd, Cook was 3rd, Banks was 4th, with Jeff Waterman coming home in 5th.
Up next was the 15 lap Donnellson Tire IMCA Stock Car feature, with John Oliver Jr. and Jake Wenig leading the field to the green. Wenig would edge out Oliver Jr. at the line to grab the lead on lap 1, with Jeff Mueller close behind in 3rd. The first of four cautions in the event would come out after the completion of lap 1, as Jim Lynch spun off turn 4. On the restart Wenig got to high in turn 3 which allowed Oliver Jr. to slip under to take over the top spot and Mueller getting by for 2nd. After the completion of lap 2 Wenig would slow in turn 2 with a right rear flat and Tenny Sammons spun in turn 3 to bring out the second caution. On the restart Abe Huls would get into Corey Strothman, which resulted in Strothman spinning in turn 2 to bring the yellow light back on. Huls was penalized to the back, with Strothman getting his spot back. Oliver Jr. moved back out front on the next restart, with Mueller pressuring him for the lead. Mueller would jump to the outside of Oliver Jr. to take over the top spot on lap 4. The two would run the next 4 laps side-by-side, with Oliver Jr. leading lap 8 on the bottom. But Mueller wouldn’t give up as they ran the next 3 laps side-by-side, before the final caution came out on lap 11. This time Strothman would spin his machine in turn 2 to slow the great battle up front. Mueller would exit to the pits under the caution with mechanical troubles, which put an end to his great battle up front for the lead. Once again Oliver Jr. would jump back out front for the restart, with Jim Redmann now battling him for the lead. Redmann would try the same middle grove as Mueller to get by Oliver Jr. for the lead over the final 3 laps. But Oliver Jr. held off all challenges to grab the win. Redmann settled for 2nd, Jason Cook came from 8th to finish in 3rd, Jeremy Pundt was 4th, with Chris Webb rounding out the top 5.

Scott Smith and Brandon Lambert drew the front row for the 12 lap Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compact feature. But it was fifth place starter Chuck Fullenkamp who quickly moved to the front to grab the lead on lap 1. The first of two cautions of the event would come out on lap 2, when Austen Becerra spun in turn 3. On the restart Fullenkamp jumped back out front, with Darin Smith, who started 7th, moving up 2nd. The only thing to slow Fullenkamp down over the next 6 laps, was another caution on lap 8. This time a tire was clipped and thrown out onto the track in turn 1 to slow the action down for the final time in the event. Fullenkamp again grabbed the lead on the restart and then held it over the final 4 laps to pick up the win. Smith came home in 2nd, Kimberly Abbott started 8th and took home 3rd, Robert Thompson finished 4th after starting in 9th, Lambert was fifth but was disqualified for illegal tires, moving Mike Hornung Jr. up to take home 5th.

The Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA SportMod 15 lap feature was the next event to take to the speedway, with Rick Barlow Jr. and Tony Dunker drawing the front row. Barlow Jr. would take advantage of his front row start to edge out Dunker at the line to grab the lead on lap 1. But Dunker would jump to the outside of Barlow Jr. to take over the top spot on lap 2. Dunker then started to pull away, leaving Barlow Jr, Phillip Cossel and Chris Larson battling it out for second, when the first caution came out on lap 6. Dean Kratzer, who was running 7th, spun down the backstretch to bring out the yellow. On the restart Dunker jumped back out front, with Cossel getting by Barlow Jr. to move into 2nd. The action up front was slowed for the final time on lap 8, as Derek Coleman, who was running 7th, spun in turn 2 to bring out the caution. Once again Dunker grabbed the lead on the restart, with Cossel trying to hold off Jim Gillenwater, who started 20th, for 2nd. Dunker would go on to lead the final 7 laps unchallenged to claim the win. Cossel would hold on to finish in 2nd, Larson edged out Gillenwater to take home 3rd and Gillenwater settling for 4th, with John Oliver Jr. rounding out the top 5.

Despite only 3 cars taking the green in the 10 lap Coor’s Light IMCA Hobby Stock feature, the two car battle up front was one of the best on the night. Andrew Hustead and Dustin Griffiths made up the front row for the event, with Hustead grabbing the lead on lap 1. Hustead would hold off Griffiths until lap 4, when Griffiths jumped to his outside to take over the top spot. Griffiths then had to work to hold back Hustead over the final 6 laps, as Hustead tried him down low on ever lap. But Griffiths was able to hold back all of Hustead’s challenges to pick up the win. Hustead had to settle for 2nd, with Michael Wenke finishing in 3rd.

Coming up next week at the Lee County Speedway will be Tri-State Speed Review night at the races, also with it being Nurses Week all nurses will get in for only $5, with proper ID required. Racing action will continue in the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Donnellson Tire IMCA Stock Cars, Shottenkirk Parts Express IMCA Sport Mods, Coors Light IMCA Hobby Stocks and Sunline Auto Parts IMCA Sport Compacts.

As usual, racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Pit gates this week will open at 5 p.m., with grandstands opening at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps will start at 7 p.m.

Grandstand admission to all regular weekly racing events in 2012 will be $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for students 11-17. Children 10 and under are free.